NEWARK — A Northern California man was injured Wednesday night when he accidentally shot himself at a downtown car dealership, police said.

Officers were called at 8:35 p.m. to Washington Hospital at 2000 Mowry Ave. for a report of someone suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg, said Cmdr. Mike Carroll.

When police arrived they learned that earlier in the evening, Patrick Rudolph, 39, was with his brother at Fremont Ford at 39700 Balentine Drive, helping him shop for a vehicle.

Rudolph, who is from Lakeport, was sitting in a car in the parking lot waiting for his brother to finish purchasing a car when he accidentally shot himself, Carroll said.

“He’d been dismantling a 9 mm handgun just before it discharged in to his leg,” Carroll said.

The bullet entered Rudolph’s left thigh and ended up in his left knee.

Rudolph’s brother drove him to the hospital to be treated for the injury.

He remained hospitalized late last night and as of Thursday had not been arrested.

Carroll said officers recovered the handgun and have sent the case to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for review. Under state law, it’s illegal to carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle while in a public place.

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